The invention relates to a method of mounting an inflator within a tube and a subassembly comprising an inflator mounted within a tube.
Inflators mounted at one end of a tube are used, for example, for driving a belt tensioner for a seat belt in an automotive vehicle.
In order to mount an inflator within a tube end it is known to insert the inflator into the tube end and to form the end portion of the tube radially inwardly so that the inflator is fixed inside the tube. Upon ignition of the inflator, in the case of unfavorable load the pressure generated by the outflowing gas may result in high force impact on the inwardly formed tube portion. The force distribution is not predictable when the inflator is mounted within the tube so that the pressure resistance of the mounting of the inflator within the tube has a broad variation in series production, which entails high rejects in the case of corresponding pressure resistance tests.